gliss hint

[seabrook2022]

I have a gliss from B natural down to G in a mezzo forte passage in a particular piece of music and since those notes are both in 4th position, no obvious technique presents itself. Would an F-trigger enable that? Seems to me B natural ought to be in 2nd position since C is in first. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Matt K]

What genre of music are you playing? If it’s jazz I’d probably just fake it

[seabrook2022]

It's a new march and the gliss appears prominent. I'll probably lip up 1st position Bb and gliss down to G. I think the G is more important than the B natural in the chord progression. Thanks.

[BGuttman]

Sounds like you got a piece somebody composed on a computer. The computer programs can do things that real instruments sometimes cannot.

If you had a G trombone, it's really easy. But the only G trombone I'm aware of is an indy bass in Bb/F/Eb (2nd valve is actually in G) or a traditional G bass. On an F trombone, B is indeed in T2, but the G at the end may be off the end of the slide.

If I had to play it on a Bb trombone, I'd probably start the gliss on B natural, quickly transition to Bb and finish the gliss i the partial down to G (you may need to pick up at A instead of Bb, depending on how fast you can move the slide).

[Burgerbob]

I'd just do a fall off of B and land on a G.

[seabrook2022]

Yeh, a short fall was my first thought too, but I think the composer wants to hear the gliss, so I'll shorten it at the top as Bb+ ~ G and see how that works out.
Thanks!

[Finetales]

You can do B-G with an F valve (T2 to T6).

[tbonesullivan]

You can do B-G with an F valve (T2 to T6).

My optimistic side things that the composer / arranger had exactly this in mind when they wrote it.

My pessimistic side knows that many people seem to think a trombone can gliss between any two notes, no matter how close or far apart the notes.

[Matt K]

I agree with burgerbob, I'd probably would do the fall from B to G in that context.

[smugrogue]

I think I'm reminded of Milhaud?

[OneTon]

Which way to play it may be determined by the length of the b or the length of the g, or by which beat the b or g falls on. After that, Duke Ellington is invoked: If it sounds good it is good. Make it sound good.

[seabrook2022]

Thanks everyone -- great thoughts!

[timothy42b]

With a G attachment, isn't that B in 1st?

Yet another argument for the minor third attachment.

[imsevimse]

With a G attachment, isn't that B in 1st?

Yet another argument for the minor third attachment.

My Gerdt trombone Bb/G-Gb will be able to do that gliss Until you get a trombone with a G-valve you can gliss from the b in 4"th to 7:th and then drop down to a g in 4:th.

/Tom

[CalgaryTbone]

I'd just do a fall off of B and land on a G.

My thoughts exactly. There are lots of glissandos like this in every genre, unfortunately. The first and last notes are usually the most important for the listener, with the glissando effect showing up mostly at the beginning of the passage, and just lip slur to the G from somewhere near the end of the slide. I often bring down my volume just a bit around the part where I can't glissando anymore and come up again for the resolution note. If you get comfortable with that, it can keep it sounding quite close to a full glissando.

Jim Scott

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Actually, in either octave (top or bottom of bass clef) it would be trigger slightly flat 2nd to trigger flat 7th. By flat 7th, I mean to the point where the slide would almost fall off of the slide. The Gs in both octaves are in the overtone series based on a very low pedal C in trigger flat seven. Not a particularly enjoyable note to play, but a real note nonetheless.....and it would create a real glissando in either octave. No falls or faking it required.

[timothy42b]

Actually, in either octave (top or bottom of bass clef) it would be trigger slightly flat 2nd to trigger flat 7th.

There is an argument that most of us amateur tenor players would be far better off with a G valve than an F anyway.

Of course then they would just write glisses you couldn't play on that.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

As trombonists, we can get preoccupied with special effect things like a glissando. At a performance back in June, we played a piece with several unusual glissandi. While leaving the first rehearsal (sight reading), the entire trombone section discussed how to execute the excerpt and the need to practice it at home. We all arrived at the second rehearsal ready to nail every glissandi. The conductor’s response was….”Whoa! Way too much on the glissandi!” Obviously, his perspective on the importance of the glissandi was very different.

Let’s also consider all of the attention given to the infamous low B-natural to F glissando in Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. Entire instruments have been designed to tackle that excerpt. Yet, it can be performed effectively on an assortment of traditional double valve bass trombones.

My point is probably what many of the previous contributors are trying to state. Play this glissando in a way that is comfortable for you and don’t worry about. There is a good chance that the conductor is not concerned about it at all.

[JohnD]

Well, got a trombone section? Then you may want to split the glissando for two players.... no1 starts at b nat, no2 joins i.e. while Bb comes across...